Fat Vincent attracted a fair amount of attention when he first arrived at a Texas county animal shelter after his owner passed away. While most of us picture a thin and wiry dog when we think of the Dachshund, Fat Vincent had ballooned to nearly 40 pounds. A tiny dog like this is not supposed to carry that kind of weight and it is easy to see that it had begun to wear on him.

The animal had become depressed as a result of his condition and could barely even walk. The poor pup’s cholesterol had spiked to a dangerous level and unless his weight was brought down to a reasonable number, the dog was at risk of experiencing nerve damage. K-9 Angels Rescue decided that they would intervene and offer him the assistance he sorely needed.

His BMI had risen to 62.7 percent and his ideal weight was less than half of his current size. The 38 pound dog would need to lose roughly 21 pounds in order to achieve a healthy frame. His foster mother Melissa was committed to helping him shed the extra pounds and she put him on a diet and exercise regimen that was designed to assist him.

The videos of Fat Vincent after his initial rescue paint a grim picture and we cannot believe that this dog was able to survive such a drastic weight gain. In order to lose the weight, Melissa taught him about the fun of aqua aerobics, as well as swimming. He even began to go for walks and wouldn’t you know it, he grew to love these expeditions.

As the months continued to go by, Fat Vincent made a great deal of progress and while he did not love the green beans he was given as much as he enjoyed walking, the pounds started to melt away. Now, Vincent weighs in at 17 pounds and his entire demeanor has changed as a result. His depression is long gone and his truly sweet nature has been given the chance to shine through.

Fat Vincent is no longer the appropriate moniker for this slimmed down Dachshund and there are some who believe that his name should now become “Skinny Vinnie”. His foster mother helped him lose all of the excess weight and he is now ready to live in a forever home of his own. Please share this incredible story about Vinnie’s weight loss and help him to find a brand new home.